Thirty-five percent of all Hamilton County child abuse deaths over the past five years were at the hands of mom’s partner, a non-biological caretaker of the child. This is higher than state and national averages. In fact, the rate of any kind of abuse or neglect to Hamilton County children by unrelated partners of their parents - 13.3 percent - is nearly 10 percent higher than national averages.

When choosing a partner, mothers are not just choosing for themselves. They are choosing for their children, too. Your partner has a great influence on your child’s life. Choosing the wrong partner can be, literally, deadly. No matter how much you may love your boyfriend, he may not love your child. It is important that you know the warning signs.